Topical Bible: Call: To Special Religious Duty: Amos

◄ Call: To Special Religious Duty: Amos ►

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Amos, a prophet of the 8th century BC, is a significant figure in the Hebrew Bible, particularly known for his call to special religious duty. His account is primarily found in the Book of Amos, which is part of the collection of the Minor Prophets. Amos's call to prophecy is a profound example of divine selection and mission, emphasizing themes of justice, righteousness, and divine judgment.

Background and Context

Amos hailed from Tekoa, a small town in Judah, and was initially a shepherd and a caretaker of sycamore-fig trees (Amos 1:1; 7:14). His humble origins underscore the biblical theme that God often chooses unlikely individuals for His purposes. Amos's prophetic ministry occurred during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II, king of Israel, a time marked by relative prosperity but significant social and moral decay.

The Call of Amos

Amos's call to special religious duty is not described in a dramatic vision or theophany, as seen with other prophets like Isaiah or Ezekiel. Instead, his call is characterized by a direct and compelling sense of divine commission. In Amos 7:15, he recounts, "But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’" This simple yet profound statement highlights the divine initiative and authority behind his mission.

Message and Mission

Amos's prophetic message is centered on social justice and the need for genuine worship. He is particularly critical of the disparity between the wealthy and the poor, the corruption of the judicial system, and the superficiality of religious practices. His famous declaration, "But let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24), encapsulates his call for societal reform and moral integrity.

Amos's mission was to deliver God's message of impending judgment to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Despite the prosperity of the time, Amos warned of the consequences of Israel's sins, including idolatry and social injustice. His prophecies were not well-received, particularly by the religious and political leaders, as evidenced by the confrontation with Amaziah, the priest of Bethel (Amos 7:10-17).

Significance

Amos's call to special religious duty serves as a powerful reminder of God's concern for justice and righteousness. His life and message underscore the importance of obedience to God's call, regardless of one's background or societal status. Amos's prophetic ministry challenges believers to reflect on their own commitment to justice and to heed the call to live out their faith authentically in every aspect of life.

Nave's Topical Index

Amos 7:14,15
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdsman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Deuteronomy
... The special relation between Israel and Jehovah was established ... a crisis as this
that would call out the ... externalism of being merely a religious programme by ...
/.../mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/deuteronomy.htm

The Fourth Commandment
... the work which had reference to a religious use might ... before you; and does not all
this call for serious ... a letter were read to one of special business, wherein ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 4 the fourth commandment.htm

The Brethren at Home.
... We have no right to call them a sect; the term is ... He was both a schoolmaster and
a religious instructor ... looked after his support in case he were in special need ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter vii the brethren at.htm

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... deeply and truly the answer to John's call. In such case also, no special explanation
would ... Christian almost incredible, manifestations of religious decay was ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

Guilty Silence and Its Reward
... arise, call upon thy God, if so be that ... All sorts of religious exclusiveness,
contemptuous estimates of other ... Possibly he believed in a special presence of God ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/guilty silence and its reward.htm

The Westminster Confession of Faith. AD 1647.
... free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all ... he is thereby enabled to
answer this call, and to ... repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to ...
/.../the westminster confession of faith.htm

Introduction.
... render the Church essentially visible, if, by special revelation or ... A Catholic may,
by rote, call upon the saints ... Church is the only known religious body which ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/introduction.htm

Comenius and the Hidden Seed, 1627-1672.
... a Higher School, or what Germans call a gymnasium ... What a blessed cessation of religious
disputes ... But the following particulars will be of special interest; they ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xvi comenius and the.htm

Standing with the People
... At any rate, social and religious emancipation are woven ... did he ever denounce them,
or call them "offspring ... Did he ever indicate that their special vices were ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter iii standing with the.htm

The Moravians.
... 1700-1760), under the guidance of a special providence, gave ... in the history of
Christianity, a religious and poetic ... We may call him the German Wesley; he was ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 108 the moravians.htm